Ruth Leach Barber R.N., 91, of Danvers, wife of the late Rev. Robert H. Barber, died on Friday February 3, 2012.
Born in Springfield, Mass., Mrs. Barber was the daughter of the late Walter H. and Bertha (Smith) Leach. She was a 9th generation descendant of Lawrence Leach, who came to Salem in 1629 from Martok, Somersetshire, England; also 9th of George Aldrich, who came to Massachusetts in 1631 from Derbyshire, England.
Mrs. Barber grew up in Winchendon, and attended public schools there. During WWII she enlisted in the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps and was stationed at Fordham and Bellevue hospitals in New York City. She worked as a surgical nurse in Jeremie, Haiti, with Medico, the organization founded by the late Dr. Thomas Dooley. For 17 years she served as surgical assistant to the late Dr. John Lepore of Marlboro.
Mrs. Barber has an R.N. from the State of New York and undergraduate and graduate degrees from Salem State University. Since 1990, she taught and tutored at North Shore Community College. For 2 summers she and Rev. Barber did ecumenical study at the University of Salamanca in Spain. For several summers they traveled to the Communist countries to research the hidden presence of Christianity there. For 20 years she visited Haiti to work with their many friends there.
Mrs. Barber was a member of the Maple Street Congregational Church of Danvers, the Peabody, Danvers and Sherborn Historical Societies, the Historical-Genealogical Society in Boston, ESOG, Friends of the Peabody Library in Danvers and RSVP. She volunteered with the Stroke Club at Salem Hospital and Haven from Hunger. Her interests were traveling, genealogical research, theater, knitting, gardening, and early on, flying lessons.
Mrs. Barber was predeceased by her beloved husband Rev. Robert H. Barber; a brother Albert Leach and a sister Esther (Leach) Shaw. She leaves several nieces and nephews, 3 godchild, 5 great godchild and a special needs foster child in Haiti.
ARRANGEMENTS: Her funeral will be held on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 10 a.m. at the Maple Street Congregational Church, 90 Maple St., Danvers. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited. Her visiting hours will be held on Monday, February 6, 2012 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody. Memorial contributions may be made in her memory to a charity of one's choice. Burial in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Concord. Please visit www.ccbfuneral.com for directions, online obituary and memorial guest book.
